newest addiction

[wendyzski]

(If you decide to join, please list that wendyzski referred you!)

I keep a rather extensive library, most of which I've read multiple times. But there are occasional books that you get that didn't turn out to be quite what you thought they were, or didn't live up to their promise.

I used to dump books I didn't want anymore in the laundry room at Artist In Residence, for future karma. I took enough stuff out of there over the years that it only seemed fair. But then the new management got rid of the giveaway table.

Then I tried Bookcrossings, but I'm not very near a permanent site, and I got yelled at for leaving a book on the train once, because it was a "suspicious package".

And you can't just throw out a book!

Well, with this thingie you list books you'd like to give away, and you send them to people who ask for them. You pay the shipping, but for every one you send you get credit for something YOU want, and the people who have it send it to you and THEY pay for shipping. Books don't have to be paperbacks - in fact most of the ones I listed were hardcovers or trade paperbacks.

I posted 15 books - mostly things from Deadalus books that I paid $3-5 for and didn't really like. 6 of them are on other people's wish lists already, and one I'm mailing out tomorrow. I've ordered one book already - to fill in the hole in a series in my collection - and put out reserves for a few more.

My books go to people who want to read them, and I get books I want to read. All for the cost of some Media Mail postage. Sounds like a winner to me!

Comments

[justphoenix.livejournal.com]

Cool. There's a free shelf in the med school library at work where people can take or give away books. I've gotten a couple books from there.

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

I like that they are going to people who want them - I want books to be happy! :)

I've got 5 books to mail out tomorrow now.

[stealthbunny.livejournal.com]

I said it was addictive, didn't I? :) Happy books!

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

Make that 8 I'm shipping out today of the original 15 I posted. And they include the ones that prompted the "Well SOMEONE ought to be interested in this, but how do I find them?"

[ouijarose.livejournal.com]

Tell me more about PBSMoney for postage... is that how you do it, or do you buy your own stamps?

[wendyzski.livejournal.com]

You can use PBSMoney to print labels with postage already attached, or with just delivery confirmation preprinted. Or you can print a plain label and use your own stamps.

Only problem with actual stamps is that packages of more than 13oz with stamps have to be brought to a post office as of 2001, so that can be a pain.

I went ahead and loaded up PBSMoney from my PayPal account. The service fees are reasonable and I have no problem with small service fees if that is what it takes to keep the site going. AND if you use PBSMoney and print your labels with the postage already on them, you get INSTANT credit for the books you are shipping. If you use your own stamps you don;t get the credit to your account until the book arrives and is logged in by the other user.

So you don't have to but it does make it easier.